Oil Pressure

[AWD Primera]

My Oil pressure gauge always shows different readings. What should it be reading and what are some possible causes for the pressure to be low?
Help Appreciated:flash:

[P10DET]

Originally posted by AWD Primera
My Oil pressure gauge always shows different readings. What should it be reading and what are some possible causes for the pressure to be low?
Help Appreciated:flash:

Need more data.

What pressure at what rpm? Load or no load?

[AWD Primera]

OK- just when you start the car up, reving at idle, the oil pressure normally rises to about 4kg/cm2 (The middle of the gauge). But sometimes after a bit of driving, when it is at idle it drops lower, to about 2kg/cm2 and other times it doesnt. Ive noticed that when the oil pressure is lower the idle is rougher and the car tends to drop below the 800 rpm baseline sometimes- especially when putting the clutch in and taking the foot off the accelarator. Does this help at all. What Im really interested to know is what causes to Oil Pressure to drop - because on days when this happens, the car performs sluggishly - but this occurs randomly, so sometimes it will happen in the morning and other times it will be sweet!- Its strange!

[G-Forces]

Perhaps an oil change and flush is in order.

[T4 Primera]

Originally posted by AWD Primera
My Oil pressure gauge always shows different readings. What should it be reading and what are some possible causes for the pressure to be low?
Help Appreciated:flash:

My gauge wanders around a bit as well. It could be the change in oil viscosity as the oil heats up although I'm not entirely convinced that the gauge is very accurate anyway.

Nissan says replace the sender (can't remember how much except that it was lots). Waikato Automotive instruments said that if it's the same as the Skyline gauges then they aren't too accurate or stable.

One day I'll get off my a** and connect up the good gauge off the Chev and check it out.

Let me know if you find anything out.

[AWD Primera]

Mine just needs an oil change. The oil is quite black and was due for a change 2000 km ago!!!

[P10DET]

Originally posted by T4 Primera
My gauge wanders around a bit as well. It could be the change in oil viscosity as the oil heats up although I'm not entirely convinced that the gauge is very accurate anyway.

The SR20 seems to have wandering oil pressures. The idle pressure tends to be higher when the engine is cold. This makes some sense. A friend on the SE-R Mailing List just reported that his turbo engine makes less oil pressure after about 2,000 miles (about 3,00 km?).

While OEM Nissan gauges seem to be POS, I think the fluctuations you are experiencing is rather normal for the SR20. Oh, and everyone seems to be reporting less pressure than Nissan lists in the FSM. Go figure.

[T4 Primera]

Thanks Geo,

I have a suspicion that the sender/circuit may be prone to fluctuations caused by ambient temps in the engine bay. (for same revs, pressure is lower when driving at lower town speeds than when on long trips at highway speed)

My oil pressure also reads lower than the Haynes manual states but when cold is line-ball for the specs I was given by the local dealership.

It's rather comforting to know that others experience the same problem and that my engine isn't about to grenade.

A question, I noticed two threaded plugs, at right angles to eachother, on the front of the engine block above that boss people use for turbo oil drainback. Do you know what is behind these plugs? oil gallery? possible oil supply for turbo?

[T4 Primera]

Originally posted by AWD Primera
OK- just when you start the car up, reving at idle, the oil pressure normally rises to about 4kg/cm2 (The middle of the gauge). But sometimes after a bit of driving, when it is at idle it drops lower, to about 2kg/cm2 and other times it doesnt. Ive noticed that when the oil pressure is lower the idle is rougher and the car tends to drop below the 800 rpm baseline sometimes- especially when putting the clutch in and taking the foot off the accelarator. Does this help at all. What Im really interested to know is what causes to Oil Pressure to drop - because on days when this happens, the car performs sluggishly - but this occurs randomly, so sometimes it will happen in the morning and other times it will be sweet!- Its strange!

My car sometimes stalls when cold - when reversing out onto road and then stop to change into 1st, engine stalls but only when dead cold. Maybe the MAF sensor needs regrounding as this is a common thing for the SR20. If you feel like a bit of a read go here: http://www.se-r.net/engine/troublesh...ide/index.html